Richard Perry 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

Richard Perry

The wine showcases this powerful vintage from the opening, with aromas of mushroom overlaid on plum, prunes, black raspberry, blackberry, dried flowers, stony earth and a whiff of cedar. Concentrated black fruit flavors, ripe plum, baked blackberry, fill the midpalate, nicely layered with hints of dried fruit, toasted almonds, and earth. A strong acidity lifts and refreshes the palate with bright red fruit flavors of cherry and raspberry, and soft, rich tannins provide a palpable and full mouthfeel. The finish is chalky and unctuous and spiced with smoky aroma, tobacco, cacao, and clove. This wine is strong and young, and will retain its vibrancy for quite some time, promising many years of graceful aging, of adding depth and layers of flavor, becoming more velvety on the palate, and rewarding patience with a beautiful, earthy bouquet.
The Coombsville soils, underlaid with a thick layer of tufa, compressed volcanic ash, combine with the Bay-moderated climate to produce a singular Cabernet Sauvignon. The close proximity to the Bay means an extended growing season, which helps to ensure a full and balanced ripeness in the grapes. Tannins tend to be at once rich and velvety while providing a strong element of structure to the wines. While most of the vines grow in the Coombsville tufas, a portion of the grapes come from a rich, red soil, building in elements of spice and brighter fruits. The 2007 vintage was long and cool, and the fruit developed a power and structure that will set it apart for years to come. We fermented this wine in open-top fermenters and punched down by hand in order to closely manage the extraction of flavors and aromas from the skins. The wine was aged in French cooperage, a majority new, for 22 months.
191 cases produced.

Type	Red
Varietal	Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage	2007
Bottle size	750mL
Alcohol content	14.4%
Appellation	California – Napa Valley
Wine Advocate	--
Wine Enthusiast	--
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Other	n/a

Their Story

Like all great wines, Richard Perry's story starts with the soil. In 1988, Richard & Sheila Perry planted the first block of what would eventually become 15 acres of hillside vineyards on their ranch in Coombsville, the south-eastern corner of the Napa Valley. The Perry Vineyards were a work of pure passion combined with an unstoppable work ethic. Richard personally carved the terraces out of the panoramic hillsides of their estate. They planted Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and a bit of Merlot and began selling their fruit to Napa wine makers.
Richard was one of a handful of growers in those days who had begun to realize the full potential of the soils and of the climates in Coombsville. In an effort to showcase the superior qualities of his fruit and of his vineyard's terroir, Richard decided to produce his own wines under the Richard Perry label. Their first commercial vintage was 1997.
Ever curious and always looking for improvement, Richard teamed up with another Coombsville pioneer, Ken Bernards, bringing him on board as his wine maker starting with the 1998 vintage. Together, the two of them honed the viticulture and the wine making towards the beautiful expression of Coombsville terroir for which the Richard Perry wines are now well-known.